Railroad signal device.



W. E. SAUERMAN.

RAILROAD SIGNAL DEVICE. APPLfCATlON FILED SEPT- 21. 1914.

1,158,449; PatentedSept. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L W a l L II L 7 W. E. SAUERMAN.

RAILROAD SIGNAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1914.

1,153,449., PatentedSept. 14, 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C01, WASHINGTON, D. c.

arn'r ri.

WILLIAM E. SAUERIVIAN, OF OGDEN, IOWA.

RAILROAD sienna nnvioii.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14:, 1915.

Application filed September 21, 1914. Serial No. 862,821.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, /VILLIA M E. SA ERMAn, a citizen of theUnited'States, residing at Ogden, in the county of Boone and State ofIowa, have invented a new and useful Railroad Signal Device, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a railroad signal device ofsimple, durable, and inexpensive construction, adapted to visiblyindicate at railroad crossings or the like, the presence of anapproaching train.

More particularly it is my object to provide a railroad signal device soconstructed and arranged that certain parts of said device may beengaged by coacting devices on an approaching train for changing thesignal at a crossing or the like, from a position indicating clear to aposition indicating danger, also so arranged that parts of the devicemay be engaged by coacting de vices on the train after the train haspassed the crossing for moving the signal back to its positionindicating clear.

A further object is to provide such a device having its parts soconstructed and an ranged that they can be made in standard sizes andshapes for use by trains passing in either direction.

A further object is to provide such a device including mechanismadaptedto be installed on a train so'arranged that the coacting devices on thetrain may be set in an operative position on either side of the train,or if desired may be placed in inoperative position.

Still a further object is to provide. such a device employing simplemechanical means, not likely to get out of order and not requiringmaintenance of an electric circuit or similar means. i

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction,combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l'shows a top or plan view of a section of railroad trackequipped with a signal device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows adetail sectional view of the track on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, andillustrating.

the signal device in side elevation. Fig. 3

shows a detail view of one of the engaging devices along the track. Fig.lshows a vertical sectional view through a car, showing the coactingengaging devices installed on the car. Fig. 5 shows a detail view of aportion of the side of a car illustrating a part of the engaging devicemounted thereon.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate. the ties of the railroad track, which support the 1 rails 11.Standing adjacent to the railroad track is an upright supporting post12, having at itsupper end the bifurcated arms or members 13. A portionof the body of the upright post 12, between and below the arms 13 is cutaway, forming a notch 14: 21 shown in Fig. 2.

Pivoted between its ends between the arms 13 is an indicating or signalbar 15, arranged in a vertical plane parallel with the track, andarranged to tilt from its position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2to the position shown by the full lines in said figure.

Mounted on the signal bar 15 is a cylinder 16, having an open end whichis normally closed by a stop device 17 of any suitable kind. Thecylinde'r lfi contains a plurality of comparatively heavy balls'18. Thesignal. bar and the parts thereon just described and the post 12' are soconstructed and arranged that when the signal bar is let downward to itsposition shown by the full lines in Fig. 2, the balls 18 will movetoward the, right hand end of the cylinder 16, the signal bar willengage the body of the post 12 at the bottom of the notch 14, and willbe held by gravity in, its position shown by said full lines. hen thesignal bar is in what I shall call its raised position, which is thepositionshown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, the parts are .so. arrangedthat the bar engages the body of post 12 at the top of the notch 14, andthen stands in the position inclined out-y wardly from its left hand endto its right hand end, as viewed in-Fig. 2. V Whenin the latterposition, the balls .18 will move by gravity to the lefthand end of thecylinder 16, and will hold the signal-baror arm 15 in what I havecalledits raised-position;

Secured to the post 12, below its upper end, are oppositely extendingbrackets 19 and 20, extending away from the post .12

parallel to thetrack. Pivoted to the ends -.The respective flexibledevices 22 are secured to the signal arm or bar at points on oppositesides of its pivotal point.

Suitably mounted below the brackets 19 and 20 adjacent to the post 12,are trans verse shafts 22 and 23, which may be as longa-s desireddepending upon Whether the signal is employed on a double track or onboth sides of the track, etc.

Fixed on the shafts 22 and 23 are upwardly extending lever arms 24 and25.

Pivoted to the lever arms24 and 25 are nected as shown to the lever 25bymeans of ing arms forming bearings 32;

pins. 25 in said lever which travel in elongated slots 28 and 29 in theends of said rods,'and extend longitudinally along the track in oppositedirections. In connection it should beunderstood that whilethe rods areshown pivoted to the lever 25, they may be operatively connected withthe shafts 23 and 22 in any suitable way for rocking said shafts, andallowing proper play of the parts. Atthe outer ends of said rods 28 and29 are mounted suitable engaging devices which will now be described. 7

Theengaging devices include supporting brackets 30 having parallellaterally extend- Suitably mounted in the arms 32 are upright shafts 33,having formed at difierent points thereon the cranks 34 and 35 one belowthe other.- Formed on the upper crank 35on each shaft is an engaging arm36 extending inwardly toward the track, and then upwardly as shown inFigs. 3 and 4. V

The cranks on the engaging devices hereinbefore described are similar inconstruction and are normally extended outwardly away from the trackasshown in Fig. 3. The obyect of such constructionis to cause *theengaging devices, when struck by the coacting engaging devices on thetrain, to impos'eon the rods 28 and 29 a pull rather than a push, whenit is desired to raise the signal to danger position.

Mounted on the upper bearing member 32 are opposite laterally extendingarms 37, having-at their ends upwardly extending lugs 38. Secured to thelugs 38 are coil springs 39 extending toward and secured to the crank 35of the shafts 33. The springs 39 serve as shock absorbers, and alsoyield- 1 singly to holdthecranks 34 and 35 in their normal positions atright angles to the track.

designedto carry certain equipmentfor coactmg with the engaging devicesalong the roadway. Such equipment consists of an upright rod 40 mountedin suitable bearings,

. able universal joint 43, which is shown as a ball and socket joint.The other member of the arm 41 is secured by the universal joint 44 to alink 45.

Rotatably mounted on the frame of the car 46 at each side thereof, is arod 47 arranged longitudinally of the car. The rod 47 is bent outwardlyat its central portion to form a V-shaped engaging member 48. One end49, of the rod 47 is bent at right angles to said rod in the oppositedirection from but in the same plane as the V-shaped portion 48.

The members 49 are pivoted by universal joints 50 and 51 to the links 42and 45. The weight of the members 48 is such that they tend by gravityto drop to a downwardly hanging position.

The equipment on the car is so constructed and arranged that when thehandle 41 is turned in one direction of its movement one of the members48 stands in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 4, and the othermember of the V-shaped portion 48 hangs downwardly as shown in saidfigure. By turning the handle 41 in the opposite direction to the otherlimit of its movement, the

positions of the portions 48 are reversed. It will thus be seen that bymanipulation of the handle 41 and the rod 40, the members 48 can be sopositioned that the car will operate the devices along the track on oneside of the track only.

In this'connection it may be said that my improved signal device may beadapted for use on both sides of the track, or for either double orplural tracks, by simply extending the rods 23 and placing the engagingdevices at different points along the track. 011 the shaft 24 is anupwardly extending lever arm 24 adapted to be struck by the bearings 46of the car wheels.

It will thus be seen that when the engaging devices are installed andthe member 48 on the right hand side of the car traveling over the rails11 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 is in its loweredor clear position, then as the car approaches the signal the member 48will strike the member 36 on the rod 33 supported on the post 31, andwill impose a pulling motion on the rod 28 thereby operating the members25, 27 and 21 for pulling the left hand endof the signal arm downwardly,the balls 18 will roll to the left hand end of the cylinder 16 and thearm 15 will rest in the danger position. When the train reaches thesignal the bearing 46* will strike the lever 24* and thereby raises thesignal arm to clear or lowered position. When the car reaches theengaging device on the left hand of the signal arm, the member 48engages the member 46 on said engaging device, and pulls the rods 28 and29 longitudinally, but the slot 29 allows sufficient play to preventinterference with the signal. The spring 39, returns the arm 29 tonormal position. Should the trainmen desire to back the train past thesignal, it will be seen that the engaging device on the right hand sideof the train would then operate the engaging devices along the roadwayin a similar way.

It will be understood that some changes may be made in the details ofthe construction of my device without departing from its essentialfeatures, and it is my intention tocover by this application any suchchanges which may be included within the scope of my claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a

post designed to be placed along the road-' way of a railroad, an armpivotally mounted thereon, a plurality of weights mounted on said armand adapted to move freely past the pivotal point thereof, oppositelyex-' tending brackets on said post below said arm, bell crank leverspivoted to the respective brackets, flexible devices secured to the armon opposite sides of the post and to the respective bell crank levers,rock-shafts, arms thereon, links connecting said arms and the respectivebell crank levers, and means whereby passing trains operate saidrock-shafts.

2. In a device of the class described, a

post designed to be placed along the roadway of a railroad, an armpivotally mounted thereon, a plurality of weights mounted on said armand adapted to move freely past the pivotal point thereof, oppositelyextending brackets on said post below said arm, bell crank leverspivoted to the respective brackets, flexible devices secured to the armon opposite sides of the post and to the respective bell crank levers,rock shafts, arms thereon, links connecting said arms and the respectivebell crank levers, rods slidably and pivotally mounted on one of saidarms on one of said rockshafts adapted to be extended in oppositedirections along the track, engaging devices adapted to be mountedadjacent to the track, pivoted to the respective rods for drawing themaway from the post when struck by an approaching train.

3. In a device of the class described, a post designed to be placedalong the roadway of a railroad, an arm pivotally mounted thereon, aplurality of weights mounted on said arm and adapted to move freely pastthe pivotal point thereof, oppositely extending brackets on said postbelow said arm, bell crank levers pivoted to the respective brackets,flexible devices secured to the arm on opposite sides of the post and tothe respective bell crank levers, rock shafts, arms thereon, linksconnecting said arms and the respective bell crank levers, rods slidablyand pivotally mounted on one of said arms on one of said rock shaftsadapted to be extended in opposite directions along the track, engagingdevices adapted to be mounted adjacent to the track, pivoted to therespective rods for drawing them away from the post when struck by anapproaching train, and yielding means for returning said engagingdevices to their original 7 positions after they have been operated.

4. In a device of the class described, an engaging mechanism adapted tobe placed on a car comprising an upright rotatably mounted rod, a handlethereon, a pair of members adapted to be mounted at the side of a car,and means for operatively connecting said rod with said members, wherebywhen the rod is rotated in one direction, one of said members is movedto horizontal position extending away from the car, and

when the rod is rotated in the other direction, the other of saidmembers is moved to horizontal position, while the first of said membersis adapted to be dropped to de- Copies of this patent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the G'ommissioner of Patents,Washington, D. G.

